Geothermal Power Plants Moving Ahead in Idaho and Utah

December 14, 2005

Two new contracts bode well for geothermal power development and will likely result in a new 10-megawatt geothermal plant located in south-central Idaho and a new 42-megawatt plant in southwest Utah.

In Idaho, U.S. Geothermal has entered into a contract with Ormat Nevada, Inc. for the engineering, procurement, and construction of its first 10-megawatt geothermal power plant at Raft River, with an option to build two more plants at the site. U.S. Geothermal has signed power purchase contracts with the Idaho Power Company for three 10-megawatt geothermal power plants. Ormat Nevada is a subsidiary of Ormat Technologies Inc., which has over three decades of experience in the design, engineering, manufacturing, construction, and operation of geothermal power plants. See the U.S. Geothermal press release (PDF 20 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

In Utah, PacifiCorp signed a 20-year power purchase agreement for all the power produced by a 42-megawatt geothermal power plant that will be located near Cove Fort, Utah. Amp Resources LLC will develop, own, and operate the project and plans to have it online in 2007. The Cove Fort project was selected as part of a PacifiCorp request for proposals, issued in February 2004 with the aim of acquiring up to 1,100 megawatts of cost effective renewable resources. See the PacifiCorp press release.